Although Mazanec got off to a hot start, both netminders have been inconsistent and with Rinne still out indefinitely, the Predators decided to acquireDevan Dubnyk from Edmonton on Wednesday. The Predators didn’t immediately decide which goalie should be demoted as a result, but they eventually settled on sending Mazanec to AHL Milwaukee.

It looks like age was a determining factor as Mazanec is 22 while Hutton is 28.

“Maz is probably a little bit larger and more athletic, but he is the least experienced,” Predators coach Barry Trotz told the Tennessean. “I think the decision is to get him in the right seat in our organization so that he can become the player that he can become.”

Trotz was referring to professional hockey experience in general, given that Mazanec actually has played in a few more NHL games than Hutton.

Meanwhile, Dubnyk is waiting to make his Nashville debut. That might happen today, but Trotz cautioned that they want to “slowly get him acclimatized to the way we play.”